Methods and apparatus for body weight support system

Abstract

A body weight support system includes a trolley, a powered conductor operatively coupled to a power supply, and a patient attachment mechanism. The trolley can include a drive system, a control system, and a patient support system. The drive system is movably coupled to a support rail. At least a portion of the control system is physically and electrically coupled to the powered conductor. The patient support mechanism is at least temporarily coupled to the patient attachment mechanism. The control system can control at least a portion of the patient support mechanism based at least in part on a force applied to the patient attachment mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a trolley, electrical current from a rigid power conductor fixedly coupled to and offset from a stationary support track, the trolley including a drive configured to movably couple the trolley to the stationary support track and a support configured to couple a user to the trolley via a tether; 
 providing an amount of body weight support while the drive and the support are in a first operating condition; 
 transitioning, in response to a flow of electrical current, at least one of the drive or the support from the first operating condition to a second operating condition; 
 providing an amount of body weight support when the at least one of the drive or the support is in the second operating condition; and 
 maintaining the trolley in a substantially overhead position relative to the user as the user moves relative to the stationary support track. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of body weight support provided when the at least one of the drive or the support is in the second operating condition is the same as the amount of body weight support provided when the at least one of the drive or the support is in the first operating condition. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of body weight support provided when the at least one of the drive or the support is in the second operating condition is different from the amount of body weight support provided when the at least one of the drive or the support is in the first operating condition. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transitioning the at least one of the drive or the support from the first operating condition to the second operating condition includes transitioning the drive from the first operating condition to the second operating condition, the drive moving the trolley along the stationary support track when in the second operating condition to maintain the trolley in the substantially overhead position. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 maintaining the support in the first operating condition when the drive moves the trolley along the stationary support track. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transitioning the at least one of the drive or the support from the first operating condition to the second operating condition includes transitioning the drive from the first operating condition to a second operating condition and the support from the first operating condition to a second operating condition,
 the drive moving the trolley along the stationary support track when in the second operating condition to maintain the trolley in the substantially overhead position, and 
 the support adjusting a length of the tether when in the second operating condition. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein a portion of the tether is at a first angle relative to a base of the trolley when the drive and the support are in the first operating condition and at a second angle relative to the base of the trolley when the drive and the support are in the second operating condition, a difference between the first angle and the second angle being less than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       8. A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a trolley, electrical current from a rigid power conductor fixedly coupled to and offset from a stationary support track, the trolley including a drive configured to movably couple the trolley to the stationary support track and a support coupled to a tether configured to support an amount of body weight of the user; 
 providing a first flow of the electrical current to the support to move a portion of the tether in response to movement of the user relative to the stationary support track in a vertical direction; 
 providing a second flow of the electrical current to the drive to move the trolley along the stationary support track in response to movement of the user relative to the stationary support track in a horizontal direction; and 
 maintaining the trolley in a substantially overhead position relative to the user as the user moves relative to the stationary support track. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the providing the first flow of the electrical current to the support transitions the support from a first operating condition to a second operating condition to move the portion of the tether in response to the movement of the user relative to the stationary support track in the vertical direction. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the drive adjusts a length of the portion of the tether when in the second operating condition such that the tether supports a substantially fixed amount of body weight of the user. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tether supports a first amount of body weight of the user when in the support is in the first operating condition and a second amount of body weight of the user when the support is in the second operating condition. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the movement of the user relative to the stationary support track in the vertical direction is associated with a user falling, the providing the first flow of the electrical current to the support to move the portion of the tether is such that the tether supports the substantially fixed amount of body weight of the user as the user is falling. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the tether is at a first angle relative to a base of the trolley prior to the user moving relative to the stationary support track in the horizontal direction and a second angle relative to the base of the trolley as a result of the user moving relative to the stationary support track in the horizontal direction,
 the providing the second flow of the electrical current to the drive to move the trolley along the stationary support track is such that a difference between the first angle and the second angle is less than a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the providing the second flow of electrical current to the drive transitions the drive from a first operating condition to a second operating condition to move the trolley along the stationary support track in response to the movement of the user relative to the stationary support track in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a trolley, electrical current from a rigid power conductor fixedly coupled to and offset from a stationary support track, the trolley including a drive configured to movably couple the trolley to the stationary support track and a support configured to couple a user to the trolley via a tether; 
 positioning the trolley in a first position along the stationary support track such that a portion of the tether is at a predetermined angle relative to a base of the trolley; 
 receiving a signal associated with a change in the angle of the portion of the tether relative to the base; 
 providing, in response to the signal, a first flow of the electrical current to the drive to move the trolley along the stationary support track from the first position to a second position, the portion of the tether being disposed at the predetermined angle relative to the base when the trolley is in the second position; and 
 providing a second flow of the electrical current to the support to transition the support from a first operating condition to the second operating condition such that the tether supports an amount of body weight of the user as the drive moves the trolley along the stationary support track from the first position to the second position. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the amount of body weight supported by the tether is a substantially fixed amount of body weight of the user as the drive moves the trolley along the stationary support track from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the amount of body weight supported by the tether is a variable amount of body weight of the user as the drive moves the trolley along the stationary support track from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the trolley is in a substantially overhead position relative to the user when the trolley is in the first position, the method further comprising:
 maintaining the trolley in the substantially overhead position relative to the user when the drive moves the trolley along the stationary support track from the first position to the second position. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the support moves a portion of the tether when the support is in the second operation condition. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the receiving the signal includes receiving the signal at an electronic assembly of the trolley and from a sensor, the electronic assembly configured to determine the angle of the portion of the tether relative to the base in response to data included in the signal.